Tasmanian scientists will soon have unprecedented access to data from high-tech equipment for monitoring coastal and ocean ecosystems.
The technology is being provided through the new Tasmanian science node of the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) which is being launched today at CSIRO in Hobart.
IMOS director Tim Moltmann said the ocean waters and habitats around Tasmania are important to the state’s economic wellbeing, but are poorly understood.
“This complex environment has strong seasonal variation and many offshore islands, submarine canyons and seamounts that support unique biodiversity and productivity hot-spots,” he said.
“It is also a region where there has been rapid change in both oceanography and biodiversity, offering a great opportunity to characterise and understand how Australian marine ecosystems may respond to climate change.
The TasIMOS observing system will provide real time data from the Maria Island National Reference Station, monitor water properties and seabed habitats using several types of underwater vehicles, detect a range of tagged marine animals, and validate satellite remote sensing of ocean conditions.
The datasets will help scientists develop regional and local models of oceanography, nutrient cycling and ecosystems.
In turn, this will help government develop a holistic approach to managing aquaculture and fisheries resources and biodiversity, including marine reserve management.
The Australian Integrated Marine Observing System is supported by the federal government through the National Collaborative Infrastructure Strategy and the Super Science Initiative.
